Thank you Pink67!
I do have those records in my research files. The Paolo Milazzo listed is my great-grandfather. Isn't it amazing how the spelling of names and even dates can be so different census to census? No wonder it's taken me years to put this all together! 8O

I don't have the book: ITALIAN ACTIVITIES OF THE INTER-MOUNTAIN REGION - my cousin does and she photocopied a page and sent to me. She has done a ton of research in the Salt Lake City archives.

Betz hi again,
Before writing what I came to say, I am totally blown away by the Snow storm of precious information that The Pink67 lady, Laura, has come up with, and I went out (virtually) to Wyoming to look at those newspapers too.

I notice that, like my father from Sicily, your ancestor Paul Milazzo married an English girl. My English rose, my father used to say.
Your ancestor's maiden name was Benson. Well, my mother's sister married a Benson man, my uncle Lez, Leslie Benson. So I have, and am still in touch with my Benson cousins, plus I did their genealogy. They came originally from some cathedral town in England and were originally saddle makers (for horses). So if you start looking into that branch of your family you could get back in touch and I will dig in my other computer and look up the name of the cathedral town. I think the cathedral has good records.

I don't know where you came up with that lovely name Milagiro, but there is a very special scientific telescope called Milagro high on a mountain. It looks not at light mainly, but at other small things coming in from space and has made discoveries. Managed by people from the University of Maryland.

And for Pink67, Laura. Have you ever thought of moving and living in Catania? Cultural heart of Sicily, and likely land of my ancestors.

Hugh -
"Mila" - the first four letters of my family name
"Giro" - the first four letters of my married name
Did not know about the telescope, but the name seems to suits me as I'm always looking up for answers

Not sure where the "Benson" came from, but I was able to trace back this line to 1829 - John Whetcombe - Somerset, UK - then in 1855 with the birth of my g-g-grandfather, the name appeared as Whetcombe-Benson. The "Whetcombe" part was dropped later and the family was known as Benson's only...don't know why. My g-grandmother was born in Manchester 1878.

Laura,
I visited your wikepedia site, and realize it will be difficult, not impossible though, to have you leave such a beautiful place.
I have just discovered, in Catania, a Sepulcher founded, and presumably containing the remain of of a very probable (not yet certain) ancestor of mine from 1551. In the floor of a small church.
I would like your creative mind to come up with a story that would persuade the Franciscans there to open the Sepulchre and allow a DNA sample to be obtained. I already have my own DNA coded.
Thank you for your continuing generous contribution to the happiness of many Italian descendants, you nourish their souls and awaken the dead.
Hugh

Going back to bmilazzo.
I finally found a rendering of the Millazo crest.
I suspect it was created recently on the basis of a crest description that is older.
I think that the following URL will take you to the website which has many crests listed alphabetically.

Incidentally, I am most disgusted with the rendering of my family crest and description. I think it was lifted and modified from the original crest and description that I have as an heirloom at my home.